Front sway bar bushings replacement

[Don Frelier]

Any suggestions on removing the old ones and installing new?
I'm thinking of cutting the outer strap but I don't like the idea of welding it back on with the new bushing. Can you install the new one with the outer already welded? I'm sure I can get the old one out one way or another.

 

[dadsbee]

It can be done.. and I have (with polygraphites), but I'll never do it again and my hands will thank me. Cut, insert and weld them back together and save yourself the grief. If you want to do it the hard way, I think I covered how pretty well in my resto thread.

 

[Don Frelier]

Ok thanks

 

[Cranky]

On a 69 and older?? Yep....cut the dang things and open them up. Just be careful on the heat when you weld it back together. I used a MIG and didn't have any problems burning things up.

 

[Don Frelier]

MIG it is then...

 

[Jerry Hall]

New straps are available. I bought 2 sets less than 2 months ago.

 

[Don Frelier]

That's what I'm thinking

 

[hunt2elk]

I have replaced several sets and not had to cut any straps yet. Grease and a couple pairs of pump pliers works for me.

 

[WesleyK]

Just did mine, cut it! Weld it back slow with a spray bottle of water close by. Weld a little spray and repeat. Mine came out great.

 

[Kowal]

I just did this on my GTX. No need to cut straps. Actually the job was reasonably easy. To remove the old bushing, use a drill and punch holes in the rubber until you can start pulling chunks off with a pair of needle nose pliers, then the rest practically falls out. To put the new bushings in, I used the suggestion on this website from the past on using a piece of wood block and dish soap. It worked really, really, well and was together in no time.

Here is the completed job

 

[Kowal]

Here is the wood fixture to install the bushings, my fresh paint even survived the installation. The C clamps worked great squeezing the bushing in to the strap. Dish soap really worked well. I painted my bar after doing all this.

The wood fixture was a piece of wood with an appropriately sized hole, then cut in half across the hole so the bar could be put in, and then screwed together with lag bolts. You do it at the ends because the bar is ever so slightly smaller in diameter there, makes it a bit easier.

 

[Dennis H]

IIRC, the factory service manual says remove and discard, replace the entire bar and assembly.
May be a bad memory.

 

[Charger Dana]

Cut and weld. I helped do a customer’s car and we used two guys for a couple hours with every lubricant, clamp, plier, screw driver we could find. Sucked. It did work eventually.

Tried to do mine on my own- days. Still didn’t work (stupid pride!). Tried heating the bushings to make them pliable. Tried freezing them to make them small. Finally gave up and had a relative cut and weld it. Worked great.

And yes - factory was never to repair, straight replacement part.

 

[Demonic]

If you weld, keep water close and wrap a water soaked rag around the bracket. Worked for me. I cut w a hacksaw, thinnest blade. Clamping it back together after the cut required a two prong panel clamp.

 

[Go Fly]

Just disassembled my 68 superbee sway bar. Bushings were dry rotted.

There is still a part number visible on one 2462879 however, having trouble locating. Anyone have a source for OE style bushings?

Thanks!

 

[Jerry Hall]

PST?

 

[Cranky]

Just disassembled my 68 superbee sway bar. Bushings were dry rotted.

There is still a part number visible on one 2462879 however, having trouble locating. Anyone have a source for OE style bushings?

Thanks!

Have you tried PST? Discount for members too..... https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/forums/performance-suspension-technology.40/ but I think you have to spend 200 bucks to get it.

 

[copper67sat]

New straps are available. I bought 2 sets less than 2 months ago.

@Jerry Hall are these the complete original style bushing/mount bracket? If so, I'm interested in where you found them. I couldn't find any with a quick Google search.

I redid the bushings on my 67 30 yrs ago. I couldn't find OEM-style bushings at the time so I cut off the original straps and replaced them with the aftermarket U-shaped bushings. I don't remember if I was smart enough to save the original straps so I'd buy new ones if I could. I've never liked the look of the aftermarket stuff.

 

[hunt2elk]

I don't think you can buy rubber sway bar bushings for the 68-69 style. Poly ones are available from Energy Suspension.

 

[Demonic]

I'm in the same boat. Had a cracked curb fell off in the road, dinged the bracket since my post in May. The Energy Suspension poly bushings do fit like factory, but the brackets have to be un-distorted.

I'm looking for a pair of brackets as well.